Massaging heater-vibrator



Jan. 13, 1970 sc l z 3,489,138

MAS SAG ING HEAT -VI BRATOR Filed May 9, 1967 United States Patent 3,489,138 MASSAGING HEATER-VIBRATOR George Joshua Lifschitz, Stamford, Conn., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed May 9, 1967, Ser. No. 637,272 Int. Cl. A61h 21/00, 23/02 US. Cl. 128-242 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An electromagnetic heater-vibrator of the hand operated type. Within the housing of the heater-vibrator is a U-shaped plate, one leg of which carries a massaging tool and the other leg having a heater element in abutment thereto. The heater element is isolated from line voltage by a step-down transformer and is vibrated when the tool is vibrated.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The invention herein pertains to an electromagnetic heater-vibrator that forms a hand operated tool and, more particularly, to a novel heating system wherein a step-down transformer is used to provide a low voltage heater circuit that is isolated from the line voltage as an important safety feature.

Description of the prior art Various electromagnetic heater-vibrator mechanisms are presently in existence. These all employ the general components of an electromagnet that attracts a plate which, either directly or indirectly, is connected to a vibrating massaging tool so that the energization of the magnet results in vibrations of the massaging tool. Some of the vibrators include heating circuits by which an element may be heated and applied during the vibrating cycle for the therapeutic value of the heat in addition to the vibrations. Other devices rely on internal friction or electrical losses to generate heat and utilize complex thermostats to control the electric circuit. Many devices use the line voltage directly on the heating element. Since the heating element is generally applied directly to the body, in the event of malfunction or an open circuit, a dangerous condition can exist where direct line voltage is imposed on the body being treated. It is desirable, for safer appliances, to avoid this possibility and it is to this end that the invention is directed whereby a stepdown transformer is employed so that in the event of a malfunction or an open circuit, the heating element is isolated from the line voltage and the heater voltage can be controlled and reduced by the secondary transformer winding to be any value desired within the limits of safety in the event voltage should be applied directly to the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly described, the present invention is directed to an electromagnetic heater-vibrator that comprises a housing with a suitably shaped handle so that the entire vibrator is held in one hand and applied to the body. A generally E-shaped magnet having a primary winding thereon is provided. The magnet structure is carried by the housing through an elongated strap that is connected at both ends to the housing. A U-plate has one leg secured to the strap with means on that leg for connecting the magnet in spaced relation from the leg for support of the magnet between the legs of the U-plate whereby the other or opposite leg is attracted upon energization of the primary winding. A detachable massaging tool of any form is connected to and extends normally from the opposite leg. A secondary winding is provided on the magnet to form a step-down transformer with the primary winding and a heater element is connected in series with the secondary winding. Switch means is provided to control the energizing of the primary winding whereby the secondary winding may activate the heater at a lower voltage than line voltage by induction from the primary winding. The secondary winding may be wound separately or may be wound directly over the primary winding. The heater element can include a pair of spaced covers that are secured together to form an insulating chamber between the covers. A high resistivity heater wire is connected non-electrically as by a bonding attachment to one of the covers and the other cover is in abutment with the strap which, by tightening down on the strap connecting means to the housing, maintains the contact abutment for loeating the heater and giving it a gentle vibration. The cover with the wire bonded thereon and electrically insulated therefrom may extend through an opening in the housing to be applied directly to the body of the user when heat is generated under the cover. Dual frequencies of vibration are provided and the use of a silicon diode rectifier in the primary winding circuit gives a low frequency and the switch control means selects the proper frequency and energizes the heater element when desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a broken partial sectional view in elevation through the housing of the vibrator and showing the essential internal elements;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the vibrator as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view through a heater element that is shown generally in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic wiring diagram of the electrical circuit of the vibrator.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. 1 there is shown an electromagnetic heater-vibrator that takes the form of a tool to be operated by the hand of the user. To this end, there is provided a housing 10 that may be split along a center line 12 merely for convenience whereby the two parts are connected together by suitable fastening means 14. Generally, the housing may be made of any suitable thermoplastic, such as ABS (modified styrene), which may be molded with suitable supporting bosses as is common in the art of appliances.

In order to provide a vibrator within the housing, there is provided a generally E-shaped magnet 16. Since magnet 16 is an electromagnet, it must be energized from an electric source and, to this end, a switch 18 which may be one of the well-known multi-pole multi-position switches with sliding contacts 19 (moveable as shown by the arrows) may be provided. Conveniently, the electric cord 20 extends out of the handle of the vibrator and is connected to the switch 18. Since safety measures prohibit the connection of a switch directly to the plastic case, there is provided an elongated strap 22 that is secured substantially at both ends to the housing 10. This securement may take the form of fastening means 24 at one end and a speed nut 26 that cooperates with a suitable boss on the plastic housing and fastens the strap towards its other end to the housing. Thus, switch 18 may be fastened directly to the metallic strap 22 for safety purposes.

' In order to support the internal electromagnet structure, there is provided a generally U-shaped plate 28 that has one leg secured to the strap by welds 30 or similar means. The other or opposite leg 32 is disposed to extend over the ends of the E-shaped magnet in close spaced relation to provide a gap between the magnet and opposite leg. Upon the application of alternating current, it will be apparent that leg 32 will vibrate. For carrying the magnet, the U- shaped plate 28, on the side bonded to strap 22, is provided with means such as flange 34 that is connected by rivets or welds 36 to the side of magnet 16. Magnet 16 is supported on the one leg in spaced relation from the leg secured to strap 22 in order to maintain a fixed static airgap in the magnetic circuit. Thus, the magnet is disposed and supported between the legs of U-shaped plate 28 and attracts and vibrates leg 32.

In order to provide massaging action, any suitable de tachable massaging tool 38 may be mounted on a stud 40 that extends normally to leg 32 for carrying various tools thereon. For activating the magnet, a primary winding 42 may be wound about one of the legs of the E-shaped magnet in the customary manner. This is connected by suitable leads to switch 18 for control to energize the primary winding.

For more than one frequency of vibration a silicon diode 44 may be wired into the switch, as seen in FIG. 4, so that it can be selectively inserted as a rectifier in series with the primary winding 42 to change the frequency of vibration of the winding. It will be apparent that, when the rectifier is in the circuit, there is a lower frequency vibration of larger amplitude in this configuration and when it is shunted out there is a weaker vibration at twice the line frequnency. This merely provides two frequencies of vibration and, by itself, is known.

Generally, heater circuits have used line voltage in appliances of the type disclosed herein. Because of the need for greater safety in such appliances, the invention herein proposes the use of a secondary winding 46 that may be wound about the othertwo legs of the E-shaped magnet 16 as shown dotted in FIG. 1 or, preferably, is wound directly over the primary winding as shown in FIG. 1. Coated wires are used with an insulating means 47 therebetween. The secondary winding is designed to form a step-down transformer with the primary winding. Thus, current is induced in the secondary winding upon energizatio-n of the primary winding as is well-known. However, there is no direct connection between the windings and the voltage of the secondary winding 46 may be any desired value lower than the line voltage applied to primary winding 42 and still supply sufficient power for generating heat.

In order to provide heat in the vibrator, a heater element generally indicated at 48 is connected to the secondary winding in series therewith. This heater element, as best shown in FIG. 3, includes a pair of spaced covers 50 and 52 that are suitably bonded together as by an adhesive tape at 54 to form an insulating chamber 56 between the covers. Heat is provided by means of a wire 58 that may be a Nichrome wire wound on a mica board 60 to form a high resistivity wire means which is then bonded at 62 to one of the spaced covers as cover 50. It will be apparent that cover 50 may extend through an aperture 64 in the housing so that it may be applied directly to the portion of the body to be heated. The entire heater element is then located by abutting cover plate 52 against strap 22 as shown in FIG. 1. This contacting abutment is maintained by tightening fastening means 24 to cooperate with flange 53 on cover 50 to locate the cover in the housing 10. Additionally, by the contact opposite the main vibrating leg 32, gentle vibrations of the magnet are then also transmitted directly to the outer cover 50 which is the heated cover and thence to the body of the user. It will be seen that chamber 56 provides an insulating area that tends to retard the flow of heat inwardly towards the vibrator and keeps the heat in the outer cover 50 where it is usable. An optional feature that may be added is the use of a reflector member 66 of aluminum foil or the like on the inner cover 52 to reflect radiant energy outwardly. Leads 68 may extend through cover 52 4 to connect the heater wire 58 with the transformer sec ondary preferably at the switch 18 as shown.

The invention herein discloses a vibrator that provides two frequencies of vibration, an off position, and a high frequency vibration with the addition of heat and gentle vibrations to cover 50 from the secondaryof the trans; former. This is a prime safety feature since it permits the heating element that is in direct contact with the body to use a low voltage source so that in the event of any malfunction the user is not severely shocked.

What is claimed is: v

1. An electromagnetic heater-vibrator comprising,

a magnet, a

a housing supporting said magnet, v

a primary winding on said magnet,

a U-shaped plate having first and second legs and mounted for attraction by said magnet upon energization of said primary winding, p

a detachable massaging tool carried by said first leg,

a secondary winding on said magnet to form a stepdown transformer with said primary winding,

a heater element in series with said secondary winding and disposed in abutment with said second leg for vibration of said heater element with said tool, and

control means to energize said primary winding where- -by said secondary winding activates said heater at lower voltage than line voltage.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1 where said secondary winding is disposed around said primary winding.

3. Apparatus as described in claim 1 having a rectifier,

said control means being connectedto selectively put said rectifier in series with said primary winding to change the vibrating frequency of said plate.

4. Apparatus as described in claim 3 where said secondary winding is disposed around said primary winding.

5. Apparatus as described in claim 3 where Said secondary winding is disposed separate from said primary winding.

6. An electromagnetic heater-vibrator comprising,

a housing, 1

an E-shaped magnet having a primary winding thereon,

an elongated strap connected at both ends to said housing,

a U-plate having one leg secured to said strap,

means on said one leg connecting said magnet in spaced relation from said leg for support between said legs and for attraction of said other leg upon energization of said primary winding,

a detachable massaging tool connected to and extending normally from said other leg,

a secondary winding on said magnet to form a stepdown transformer with said primary winding,

a heater element in series with said secondary Winding,

said heater element including,

a pair of spaced covers bonded together to form an insulating chamber therebetween,

a high resistivity wire means bonded to one of said spaced covers, the other spaced cover abutting said strap,

said strap connecting means maintaining said abutment for location and gentle vibration of said heater, and

switch control means to energize said primary winding whereby said secondary winding activates said heater at lower voltage than line voltage.

7. Apparatus as described in claim 6 where said secondary winding is disposed around said primary winding.

8. Apparatus as described in claim 6 where said sec: ondary winding is disposed separate from said primary winding.

9. Apparatus as described in ,claim 6 having asilicon diode rectifier, r

said switch control being connected to selectively put said rectifier in series with said primary winding to change the vibrating frequency of said U-plate.

5 10. Apparatus as described in claim 9 where said secondary winding. is disposed around said; primary winding.

11. Apparatus as described in claim 9 where said secondary winding is disposed separate from said primary winding.

11/1931 Broad 1/ 1947 Marty.

6 August 128-241 Grossi 128-241 Smith et a1. 128-24.! Brumek 128-241 McNair 128-41 US. Cl. X.R. 

